Big Cruise is driving manatees to extinction and getting away with it. We must take action before it’s too late.

BEFORE OUR YEAR END MATCH EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31: YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE GIFT IS NEEDED TO PROTECT OUR OCEANS, COMMUNITIES, AND EARTH [RUSH A GIFT]( This is serious, Friend. In the last two years alone, OVER A QUARTER of the Florida manatee population has been DECIMATED by starvation and pollution. And as 2023 wraps up, it’s been another deadly year for these gentle creatures -- with over 400 helpless manatees dying this year. Mega-polluting industries like Big Cruise are fueling this tragedy with reckless waste dumping and massive quantities of CO2 emissions. Cruise ships are dumping toxic, acidic wastewater directly into fragile ocean habitats. And this harmful pollution feeds destructive algae blooms that kill manatees' primary food source, seagrass. No wonder manatee deaths are spiking from painful starvation! But it gets worse. Cruise ships are powered by some of the dirtiest heavy fuel, which is constantly being spewed into the environment -- because these ships never stop running, even when they dock! Every day, a mid-sized cruise ship emits as much particulate pollution as ONE MILLION CARS. People in coastal communities are trapped, breathing in this harmful pollution and suffering higher rates of respiratory diseases as a result. We MUST hold cruise companies and other Big Polluters accountable for the damage they cause. That’s why Friends of the Earth urgently needs your support: Right now, a generous group of donors is MATCHING every tax-deductible gift up to $850,000 – and we’re counting on supporters like you to make the most of this match before it expires at midnight on December 31st. [Match my tax-deductible gift for oceans and the planet!]( [Please, before midnight on December 31: Will you make your tax-deductible gift of $27 or more – and have it DOUBLED – to help Friends of the Earth fight corporate greed and protect our oceans, people, and our only Earth?]( With pandemic travel restrictions lifted, the cruise industry is BOOMING. That means more ships – the size of city blocks – speeding through delicate coastal waters and gushing their endless pollution. The industry has grown so fast that governments are struggling to regulate it. Greedy cruise companies have taken advantage of this situation, going beyond the huge quantities of LEGAL pollution to illegal dumping. Worse, some companies have SUED to block coastal communities from protecting themselves from emissions-induced diseases! No company should be able to take away our right to fight for our health and the health of our neighbors. For the sake of our oceans, people, and our planet, we MUST fight back. Friends of the Earth is standing up against the greedy cruise industry that prioritizes profits over human lives, helpless wildlife, and the health of our planet. We are pushing the EPA to enact proper regulations and enforce them for massive cruise ships. Reaching our Year End goal is critical to continuing this planet-saving work and stopping ocean-wrecking, climate-destroying pollution from entering our ecosystems. But we rely on support from people like you, who understand how high the stakes are right now. Please: We need your membership support to hit our goal and make the most of this rare matching gift opportunity. [Will you make your tax-deductible gift of $27 or more by December 31 – while it will still be MATCHED dollar for dollar – to hold corporate polluters accountable and protect our oceans, people, and the only Earth we’ll ever get?]( If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: [Donate $27 immediately]( [Donate $50 immediately]( [Donate $100 immediately]( [Donate another amount]( Thank you for your urgent support, John Kaltenstein Deputy director of oceans and vessels, Friends of the Earth Contact Us: Friends of the Earth U.S. Washington, D.C. | Berkeley, CA 1-877-843-8687 [Contact us]( Email Preferences: [Click here to unsubscribe]( Learn more: www.foe.org/news www.foe.org/about-us www.foeaction.org Connect: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Flickr]( © 2023, Friends of the Earth. All Rights Reserved. [supporter]